1333 Jefferson St.

1333 Jefferson St.

Napa County

Over the years, Larry Dondero has made a number of efficiency improvements to the two-story, mixed-use building he owns on Jefferson Street, a few blocks from the center of downtown Napa. Painted in rich colors that reflect the spirit of the Art Deco era, the building’s clean lines, appealing geometric forms and rounded corners look as modern today as they must have when it was built in the 1930s. Despite the building’s well-maintained appearance, its age made it a prime candidate for a fresh look at efficiency opportunities. After hearing about the Bay Area Multifamily Building Enhancements program, Dondero decided to come to a workshop in Napa and learn what it was all about. He went in “with skepticism and guarded curiosity,” he said, and came away convinced of the program’s value.

Located alongside Napa Creek, 1333 Jefferson houses six apartments, as well as a day spa on the ground floor. A practical businessman, owner Larry Dondero wants to keep his properties in excellent shape, wants his tenants to be happy, and wants to be a good steward of the environment. And he knows he has to pursue these goals in a way that makes financial sense. For Dondero, the Bay Area Multifamily Building Enhancements program hit all these targets. The program combines a comprehensive approach to utility savings with sound, speedy and free technical support from the energy consultants at Association for Energy Affordability. AEA staff worked with Dondero to review his property, identify efficiency upgrade opportunities and evaluate their savings potential. They presented him with a customized retrofit “road map” that he could follow.

Dondero chose to move forward with a set of upgrades that earned him a rebate of $3,750 and should increase the energy efficiency of his property by about 13%. To keep upfront costs in check, he did much of the upgrade construction work himself, with the help of his regular plumber. “The program has all the right ingredients,” Dondero said. “I save money, I conserve energy and water and I do my bit to shrink our carbon footprint. My tenants are happy. And the process is hassle-free.”

The program has all the right ingredients... and the process is hassle-free.